Belt buckle



July 2 1952 J. D. GOSSELIN BELT BUCKLE Filed March 2, 1950 INVENTUR. @Q3selfzm WMQV A TTORNEYS,

Patented July 29, 1952 1 UNITED BELT BUCKLE Joseph D. Gosselin, Attleboro, Mass., assignor to Swank, Inc., 'a corporation of Delaware Application March 2, 1950, Serial. No. 147,257

This invention relates to a belt buckle of the type used for holding the overlapping end portions of a belt which passes through trouser loops and about the waist of the wearer.

Heretofore, the beltbuckle of the above type, comprised a front plate with some sort of a clamp to press the buckle toward'the front plate, or in some cases a frame may be used of a width wider than the belt, with some opening in the belt through which some tongue extended to hold the overlapping portion of the belt in adjusted posi tion.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an ornamental face for the bucklewhich will be of an open work configuration having an irregular periphery which forms a design which alone will show on the front surface of the belt.

Another object of the invention is to provide an open work configuration for the face of the buckle which has the illusion of being looped about the belt with no support other than the belt, so that the design, or outline periphery of the face, is of the ornamental shape desired and will contrast against the belt, to stand out as part of the design of the face.

Another object of the invention is to entirely conceal behind the belt a frame or holding means for the face of the buckle so that it will not be visible and will in no way meet the eye to detract from the appearance of the ornamental face.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the ornamental face may be interlocked with the frame, that the two may be assembled in a, simple manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame or back of the buckle which will be uniform for all buckles of this character and yet which may have various forms of fronts attached thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly between the front and the frame of the buckle so that the assembly of the particular subject may be made at the retail establishment which sells the buckle. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable connection between the front and the frame so that one front may be interchangeable with other fronts.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the ornamental cut out front as a means against which the belt may be pressed for clamping the same in position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features, as will be more fully described hereinafter and pointed P out specifically in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a fragmental portion of the belt with the buckle securing the ends.

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-191) Fi urez is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure .3 is a sectional view on line Figure 1. a

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line -44,0f Figure 1. a

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bottom side of a part of the frame which is used.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the plate which is mounted on the frame.

Figure 7 is a perspective viewof the assembly of Figures 5 and 6- and looking at the top thereof.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the front of the buckle and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the front of the buckle looking at the under side thereof.

With reference to the drawings, in clearer detail, I provide a frame as shown in Figure 5, designated [0, comprising side bars II and end bars I2 which are formed of one piece of material cut out and struck to form the different thickness therein shown. The side bars H-H are provided with notches 13 which are formed at the time of striking the frame, but which may be later cleaned out in a milling machine or the like. Ears extend inwardly, to provide square corners, from each of the side bars I l with openings I5 therein. A plate designated l6, and shown in perspective in Figure 6, is of a thickness so that when positioned on the side bars II, it will extend :between the end bars l2 and be flush therewith as shown in Figure 7.

The plate I6 is positioned to cover the side bars I I of the frame and there soldered in place, as shown in Figure 7, to lie flush with the rear surface of the end bars [2, and the ears 14 are bent as at I! so as to extend downwardly along the inner edges of the side bars I l. Thus, a frame is provided which has recesses I8 extending through each of the side bars at such locations as it might be desired to mount the front of the buckle thereon.

The front of the buckle comprises sections [9 which, in the form here shown, are each an initial, although any other configuration may be provided. This front has a plate 20 with rearwardly extending portions 2| from plate 20, which portions have flanges 22 extending inwardly toward each other and providing tongues 23 at their inner ends reduced to leave shoulders 24 as shown more clearly in Figures 8 and 9. The distance between the inner surfaces of the rearwardly extending portions 2| of the front section is greater than the distance between the outer surface of the side bars ll.

These fronts may be snapped into place on the frame by positioning one of the projections 23 in a recess 18 and sliding the other rearwardly extending flange 22 and projection 23 over the opposite side bar into the opposite recess. Two

completely leaving only the front exposed and if this is in the form of an ornament or two.

initials of the two sections, the only surface which will be seen will be the front so provided.

In order to hold the belt secured in the buckle,

there is a clamp 26 which is pivotly mounted. as at 21 in the opening I5 in the ears and a bail 28 extends from the clamp for looping the other end of thebelt 29 about this'bail' so as to secure the other end of the belt to the buckle. The clamp forces the belt 25 againstthe front which in addition to serving as an ornamental front plate is used as a base against which the belt is clamped.

I claim:

1. In a belt buckle, a frame of a width no greater than the width ofthe belt to be held having side and end bars, said side bars having recesses extending inwardly from the opposite outer faces of the side bars, a front having a face plate with rearw-ardly extending portions of a width sufficient to form a channel forsaid belt, flanges extending toward'each otherfro'in said portions into said recesses to attachably connect said front to said side bars, a clamping member movably mounted on said frame, and a bail on said clamping member for attaching the end of the belt thereto and for moving the member to force the belt against the front whereby through tension on the attached belt end the belt portion in the front channel is clamped in the channel.

2 In a belt buckle as in claim 1 wherein tongues of a width less than the flanges extend into the recesses with shoulders engaging the outer surfaces of the side bars.

3. In a belt buckle as in claim 1 wherein tongues of a width less than the flanges extend into the recesses with shoulders engaging the outer surfaces of the side bars, said front being resilient to spring said rearwardly extending portions apart to provide for the connection,

' JOSEPH D. GOSSELIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent: I

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Hamric' Jan. 3, 1928 

